Data for: The influence of vegetation structure on secondary diaspore dispersal by wind

The role of vegetation structure in relation to wind speed and diaspore attributes on secondary diaspore dispersal by wind has not been empirically studied. Here, we investigated secondary dispersal by wind of diaspores placed in 12 different kinds of vegetation and bare land. The experiments were conducted in a wind tunnel using a range of wind speeds and diaspores that differed in mass and kind of appendages. The explanations of wind speed, diaspore attributes, vegetation coverage, life-form, vertical pattern and horizontal pattern for diaspore dispersal capacity were 6.67~10.40%, 16.13~20.53%, 6.227~24.64%, 0.10%, 0.74%, and 0.10%, respectively. Compared with wind speed and diaspore attributes, vegetation coverage contributed the most to diaspore dispersal capacity when vegetation coverage was low (<10% in our study). However, but with a high (10-30%) coverage, vegetation coverage was the least influential factor in secondary diaspore dispersal by wind. Vegetation coverage significantly interacted with vegetation life-form, horizontal pattern and vertical pattern on affecting diaspore dispersal capacity. Thus, the most influential factor determining secondary diaspore dispersal by wind is vegetation coverage.